This year as you decorate for Christmas, try placing your Christmas tree according to Feng Shui principles. Feng Shui is the art and science of placing things in your home in harmony and balance with the natural world around you. This is especially important during the Christmas season when we fill our homes with new colors, shapes, and aromas. In Feng Shui we call these colors and shapes the "Five Elements." A Christmas tree connects you with the living world, so it is considered a strong Wood Element symbol. And, the triangular shape of a Christmas tree is considered a Fire Element symbol in Feng Shui, even more so when it is covered with twinkling lights. Therefore, your Christmas tree is both a strong Wood and Fire enhancement.

The ideal location for a Christmas tree is in either the Wealth, Fame or Family area of your home because these are supported by Wood and Fire. The Wealth area is the room in the upper left hand corner of your home, or the upper left hand corner of any room. The Fame area is located at the back of your home across from your front door. Triangular shapes displayed in these areas enhance finances, abundance, and prosperity. The Family area is on the left hand side of your home. [Click here to download a color map that shows all nine of the Feng Shui areas of your home.]

But sometimes, you just can’t place your tree in the perfect Feng Shui spot, often because it's not a "public" room, or due to tradition. Perhaps your family has always placed a Christmas tree in the dining room so it can be the showplace for the holiday meal, or, your family tradition is to keep a tree in the family room so it could be seen every day. If you must place your Christmas tree in another Feng Shui area of your home, here are some ways to balance the energy.

--If you locate your tree in your Career area, decorate with blue lights and decorations, “icicle” decorations, and a blue/black patterned tree skirt to help bring water energy into balance.

--If your tree is located in either the Children or Helpful People areas, use metal ornaments, tinsel, white lights, and a silver or gold accented tree skirt.

--If your tree is in either the Love or the Knowledge areas use lots of ceramic ornaments, yellow and red lights, and red skirt. Skip the tinsel and white lights here, since you don't need more metal.

--If your tree in the Grounding area of your home, chose a yellow or gold tree skirt and a bright yellow star or angel with golden hair at the top of the tree.

Whether you choose a natural or artificial tree and wherever you place the tree, avoid overdoing the decorations. Use decorations in a variety of colors rather than a monochrome color scheme. This is especially important with an artificial tree. Many people fall into the trap of thinking that they have to put out years worth of decorations, whether they still like them or not, and somehow make everything fit. Good Feng Shui advice is to display only those decorations you really love and not your whole collection. If you vary what you display each year, you decorations will become more meaningful.

And if you don’t put up a Christmas tree, bring a bit of nature indoors by displaying evergreen boughs or poinsettias to counteract any winter gloom and encourage your guests to laugh and enjoy the holiday.

Start making Feng Shui changes today with the tip-a-day calendar in the new e-book from Feng Shui Master Practitioner Carol M. Olmstead.Click here to order your copy of "365 Feng Shui Secrets" from the e-book store at BellaOnline.com.